The 2026 NFL season is finally upon us. Fantasy drafts will be going on constantly from now until we officially kick off on Sept. 9. Now is the time to prepare for your draft and build league-winning strategies.
Fantasy managers looking to challenge themselves in recent seasons have turned to IDP leagues. In these formats, fantasy managers draft "individual defensive players" alongside their traditional offensive picks.
Understanding the players who are trending up and down can lead to early season production and unlock your fantasy lineup's upside. Below you'll find five risers and five fallers from preseason.
IDP Risers
Upton Stout, DB, 49ers
Upton Stout was one of the surprises of the 2025 season, racking up 82 tackles, four tackles for loss, five passes defended and an interception after being drafted by the 49ers. Stout was highly productive in his final three collegiate seasons at Western Kentucky (125 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions and two touchdowns), but fell to the third round of the draft due to concerns about his size.
New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has already tabbed Stout as the "star" position on his defense, a full-time position that splits its duties between safety and slot corner. That should give Stout a strong weekly floor in run defense with the potential for a high ceiling if he can increase his interception totals in Year 2.
For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, news and everything going on around the NFL, head to RotoWire's NFL Fantasy Football
The 2026 NFL season is finally upon us. Fantasy drafts will be going on constantly from now until we officially kick off on Sept. 9. Now is the time to prepare for your draft and build league-winning strategies.
Fantasy managers looking to challenge themselves in recent seasons have turned to IDP leagues. In these formats, fantasy managers draft "individual defensive players" alongside their traditional offensive picks.
Understanding the players who are trending up and down can lead to early season production and unlock your fantasy lineup's upside. Below you'll find five risers and five fallers from preseason.
IDP Risers
Upton Stout, DB, 49ers
Upton Stout was one of the surprises of the 2025 season, racking up 82 tackles, four tackles for loss, five passes defended and an interception after being drafted by the 49ers. Stout was highly productive in his final three collegiate seasons at Western Kentucky (125 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions and two touchdowns), but fell to the third round of the draft due to concerns about his size.
New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has already tabbed Stout as the "star" position on his defense, a full-time position that splits its duties between safety and slot corner. That should give Stout a strong weekly floor in run defense with the potential for a high ceiling if he can increase his interception totals in Year 2.
For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, news and everything going on around the NFL, head to RotoWire's NFL Fantasy Football News Today or follow @RotoWireNFL on X.
Cedric Gray, LB, Titans
Cedric Gray went from a relative unknown entering the 2025 season to one of the best IDP linebackers to roster. Gray earned a jump from an 11 percent defensive snap share as a rookie to a 91 percent snap share in 2025 and finished as the LB4 in points per game (13.9) by generating 164 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four passes defended, two fumble recoveries and a sack.
Gray's new head coach, Robert Saleh, has a history of getting the most out of the linebacker position for both real-life and IDP production. Expect Gray to once again be a fixture atop IDP scoring even if he's passed over for bigger names in fantasy drafts.
Check out our Fantasy Football ADP Report for a comprehensive tool with live-updated ADP data for multiple league formats and sites.
R Mason Thomas, DE, Chiefs
R Mason Thomas was a polarizing prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. Thomas's production in his final two seasons at Oklahoma was undeniable (22.0 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks) and his explosiveness on film was clear, but his lack of size (6-foot-2, 241, with a 31 5/8-inch wingspan) was a significant red flag.
The Chiefs took a chance on Thomas in the second round, and his skills as a pass rusher translated to the field in his first preseason with a strip sack.
Thomas will start his career as a pass-rush specialist behind sturdier edge players like George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah, but he has earned a role on clear passing downs and will benefit from offenses scheming to stop Chris Jones and 2026 first-round pick Peter Woods on the interior.
Use RotoWire's interactive Mock Draft Simulator to prepare for every scenario in your 2026 fantasy football drafts.
Arvell Reese, LB, Giants
Ohio State hybrid defender Arvell Reese had a legitimate case to be the first defensive player drafted in 2026 after a stellar season in Matt Patricia's defense. Reese thrived in a full-time role for the Buckeyes in 2025 while alternating between linebacker and edge rusher, racking up 69 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two passes defended.
Reese needed work on his pass rush technique, but his strength at the point of attack and explosive athleticism at the second level were among the best in the class. Reese was ultimately the second defensive player taken after falling to the Giants with the fifth overall pick in the draft.
The Giants have the luxury of deploying Reese as an off-ball linebacker with pass-rushing upside on clear passing downs as a rookie. That gives him an excellent floor in IDP formats as a rookie with untapped ceiling potential, especially with defenses needing to focus on stopping Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Get ready for your draft by visiting our Custom Fantasy Football Rankings for a list of the top players for the season ahead, customized for your league.
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Dolphins
There weren't many defensive players as productive as Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez the last two seasons. Rodriguez racked up 255 tackles (140 solo), 21.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, 10 passes defended, 10 forced fumbles, four fumbles recovered and five interceptions. Rodriguez finished fifth in Heisman voting in his final college season while taking home the Nagurski and Bednarik awards.
There were questions about Rodriguez's athleticism, but he put those to rest with a fantastic performance at the NFL Combine, measuring 6-1, 231, and running a 4.57 40-yard dash (1.6 10-yard split) with a 38.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-1 broad jump. That was enough to convince the Dolphins to draft him with the 11th pick of the second round in the 2026 NFL Draft.
At first, it seemed Rodriguez would be buried on the depth chart behind recently extended veteran Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson. However, a pathway to immediate playing time opened after the Dolphins released Dodson on roster cutdown day.
Rodriguez was a high-volume tackler in college who showed a nose for the football, which makes him a good gamble as a late-round linebacker option.
Aaron Donald, DT, Rams
Aaron Donald finally made the decision to return to the field for the 2026 season, signing a one-year, $20 million contract to complement Myles Garrett. The Rams were already entering the season as the favorite for the title of "best defense," but Donald potentially gives them another dominant piece on the interior.
We don't know much about Donald's role or conditioning for game action after two years of retirement. On one hand, Donald likely wouldn't have returned if he wasn't in game shape. On the other hand, the Rams have no reason to push him into a full-time role on a team with Super Bowl or bust goals in 2026.
Donald is a good dart throw in IDP formats and may have several impactful moments in his surprise return to the NFL, but it's fair to want to see what his role and play level looks like after such a long time away from the field.
IDP Fallers
Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Vikings
Ivan Pace Jr. looked like he'd be an impact linebacker during his rookie season in 2023, racking up 102 tackles, two tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two passes defended, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Since then, he's seen his role diminish year-over-year in Brian Flores's defense.
Pace is still a well-known name given his impactful rookie season (especially as a UDFA), but is on the roster bubble heading into the 2026 season given his liability in coverage. His best shot at production in 2026 will be if he can land with a team willing to give him opportunities to grow on the field.
Jonathan Greenard, LB, Eagles
The Eagles elected to let Jaelan Phillips walk in free agency, leaving them with a hole in their pass rush rotation. That void was filled by an offseason trade to acquire Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard.
Greenard was highly impactful in 2023 and 2024 while playing with the Texans and Vikings, racking up 128 pressures (13.3% pressure rate) and 24.5 sacks, but struggled to stay on the field in 2025. Philadelphia acquired him hoping a healthy offseason would return him to his previously dominant form.
Unfortunately, Greenard missed all of training camp and preseason while dealing with an injury. He will need time to ramp up and likely will start his career in Philadelphia on a snap count, making him hard to trust in IDP leagues to begin the season.
Myles Garrett, DE, Rams
Arguably the biggest move of the offseason happened when the Rams traded edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick to acquire Myles Garrett.
Garrett is coming off a record-setting 23.0 sack season in Cleveland, but has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the NFL for a long time. Garrett has at least 10.0 sacks in eight straight seasons while posting at least 70 pressures in five consecutive years.
However, Rams fans haven't gotten an opportunity to see much of him throughout training camp thanks to a mysterious knee injury that has kept him sidelined. There was hope that Garrett would be back for joint practices against the Cowboys, but those have come and gone with no sign of the veteran pass rusher.
As of now, there is no concern for Garrett's Week 1 status, though a nagging injury is hardly a good thing for a player with so much mileage. His upside is still the highest of any edge rusher in the NFL, but IDP managers should temper expectations coming into 2026 with Garrett on a team that will look to keep him fresh for a potential Super Bowl run.
Jacob Parrish, DB, Buccaneers
Jacob Parrish, the Buccaneers' third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, became a high-floor DB in IDP leagues as a rookie while operating out of the slot. Parrish racked up 76 tackles, seven tackles for loss, seven passes defended, 2.0 sacks and two interceptions as a rookie. He had 10 games with at least five tackles.
The Buccaneers are expected to move Parrish to the outside cornerback position in 2026 after letting veteran Jamel Dean leave in free agency. That move has been reinforced throughout the summer with 2026 fourth-round pick Keionte Scott manning the slot.
A move outside is great for Parrish, but hurts his production for IDP formats since he won't factor in as a run defender as much on the outside.
Leo Chenal, LB, Commanders
The Commanders set out to overhaul their defense during the 2026 offseason after a disappointing 2025 season. Moves like signing edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson and safety Nick Cross got a lot of publicity, but the signing of linebacker Leo Chenal was an intriguing upside play.
Chenal had productive moments throughout his tenure with the Chiefs, but failed to carve out a consistent role, topping out with a 53 percent snap share in his final season. Unfortunately, his chance at being more productive in 2026 took a significant hit when Washington drafted Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Washington has Frankie Luvu as their green dot defender, meaning he won't come off the field. That has left Chenal in a clear complementary role to Styles throughout the preseason. Both players will play early and often in 2026, but neither can reach their ceiling with the other healthy.
Chenal gets the initial tag as a "faller" considering he's played behind Styles throughout the preseason, a signal that he will be in a complementary role once again in 2026.
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